Hakata Ramen - Shinsengumi

This ramen house distinguishes itself through both the noodles and the service. Even though the staff is incredibly busy, they will hold the door open for you as you walk into the restaurant. Then, while you are eating, they always remember to ask if you need anything else or any extra noodles. Finally, when you pay and leave they all shout out their appreciation and hold the door open for you as you walk out. The staff is always friendly and fast and the noodle master is always diligently engrossed in his craft. All of this, which you would never get at a typical ramen place.

Again, at such a busy place, who would think a restaurant has time to care about how much oil, how much soup base, and how soft you want your noodles. Much less keep track of all the toppings you want and all the things you might want left out. Yet at this place, all of that is encouraged through their ordering sheet (for the lack of a better term) that they give you once you sit down to order. And through the dozens of times ive eaten here, each time soft noodles means a precisely soft texture. Each time heavy soup base means the soup will be exactly this salty. Ive never even felt the slightest lapse in precision each time ive been here.

The soup base is flavorful and the noodles taste great regardless of how hard or soft you want it. Now, the only knock one might find at this restaurant is if they prefer their pork slices (that come with every ramen) to come from a fattier and more tender portion. But overall, this ramen house serves up some quality food with great service at reasonable prices.

By the way, extra noodles at this ramen house are under a buck, and you can get extra noodles as many times as you want. So if you are really hungry or have a sudden fondness of carbs and disregard to everything Aktins, this place is the place to go!

I’m not exactly cultured in Japanese ways, but when I walk into Shin-Sen-Gumi, and they shout in Japanese to welcome you (at least I suppose they’re welcoming you), there’s some kind of instant attachment. Though they all have accents, that’s part of the charm. That doorway to the little shop transcends boundaries. Enough pantry poetic prose, Shin-Sen-Gumi kicks ass.

It is by far one of my favorite restaurants. They have udon, rice… forget those, just Ramen. This bowl of Ramen is ultimately customizable: you can order many extras to it such as egg, meat, corn, seaweed, bamboo, etc.; you can choose how thick you want the soup base, firmness of noodle, and amount of oil; and the combinations that come with it during lunch and dinner.

How amazing is the ramen? I hate candied ginger – that vile red stuff, and they put it in the ramen. I wind up eating it because it perfectly balances the taste.

The combinations for lunch come with gyoza (fried dumplings), chicken rice balls, fried rice, chicken rice bowl, spam-sushi, or many more. They’re all delicious, though the rice balls can waver depending on whether or not they’re fresh or frozen. Still, it’s good.

Dinner Combos come with a 1/2 order of gyoza, and then you have a choice of potato salad, shark fin in plum sauce (you better really like your plum sauce), fish cake with cheese, or one other, which I can’t remember off the top of my head. There are only two dinner combos: both include the above, but they differ in drinks: Alcohol or non-alcoholic.

Really, just try it yourself. Lunch is by far cheaper and far more worth it.

And when you leave, they yell at you in Japanese. So cool.

When I usually eat Japanese food, like everyone else I go for the sushi, or sashimi, or even udon or soba if I’m craving noodles. Ramen? I don’t even get that at Japanese buffets. It is, for most people, an inexpensive and quick meal. But Shinsengumi proves that eating ramen can be a fun experience too.

You’re given a menu and a paper form when you sit down. Pretty much everyone gets the Hakata Ramen though, so the menu’s more of a formality than anything else. You can also always get sides or extra noodles, if you’re hungrier than usual. On the sheet you can add a variety of toppings and specify how oily you want your soup base, how hard/soft to cook your noodles, and so on. Also, green onions and red ginger are included in the ramen too, so if you want your noodles without these, or in lesser amounts, you can indicate your preferences on the sheet as well.

The physical location is rather small, however, and if you come during peak hours (mealtimes and late at night) the wait can be up to an hour or more. Rather long for a bowl of noodles, but that tells you just how good it is (and how small the restaurant is). Don’t expect to come here with more than four people and get in immediately, or sit together. The Redondo Beach branch is somewhat larger, but when it gets crowded they’ll make you sit at tables together with random people.

The service is great- typical loud greetings in Japanese when you enter and exit (don’t ask me what they say). They’re friendly enough, if a bit rushed. If you sit at the bar area, you can watch the chefs cook your noodles and soup too, which is always good entertainment while waiting for your food. And you know they don’t spit in it.

been a favorite of mine since my introduction and addiction to Hakata Ramen (thanks to an irvine friend..)

it’s usually quite crowded, but the wait’s quite short. make sure to write your name & party size on the clipboard (located at the entrance). & if possible, try to get seated at the bar, it offers a great view of the loud clanging fiasco that goes on to provide your delish ramen noodles & rice dishes. it’s a very fun place… with the staff shouting hello, goodbye, and your menu choices all in japanese.

you choose your choice of soup base thickness (light, medium, thick), oiliness (light, medium, oily), and also noodle texture (soft, medium, hard)… i choose medium/ light for everything. btw, extra serving of noodles is $1.

lunch’s a great deal… they offer combination sets. so you’ll get your plain hakata ramen PLus side of your choice. i highly recommend the gyoza (perfect appetizer) or fried rice. spam musubi for those who are fans.

Need my ramen at least twice a month.

Homemade ramen noodle soups that’ll leave your wallet n appetite happy! Come for lunch or dinner, noodle dishes are served at counter bar. Original locations in Southbay, reservations accepted n recommended during peak dinner hrs; servers speak Japanese n not ‘fluent’ in English; free parking in spacious parking lot. Bon appetite!

So the only thing that sucks is the line to be seated. Other than that, this is one of my favorite places to go! The Hakata ramen is made to order – I like mine med. n00dles, light oil, and light flavor & whatever toppings inspire me that day. The cheese-stuff fish balls are something else, but not bad when they’re piping hot. Whatever you do, come hungry. So far, there hasn’t been anything that I haven’t enjoyed…and the extra n00dles for $0.95 will definitely have you leaving “fat and happy”.

Whenever someone here mentions “Ramen”, it is not any ramen noodle house they talk about, its the little Shin Sen Gumi on brookhurst.

I always get the #1 basic ramen, and they refill it for you for only a buck. The experience is always pleasant here as the staff tries their best to accommodate you.

IMO, they have a bad business model cos the wait for it is usually an hour or more!! You’d think somewhere as popular as Shin Sen Gumi would expand their business and move somewhere bigger.